Tussenvoegsel

A tussenvoegsel is a part of many Dutch and Flemish surnames that appears between a given name and the main family name. It consists of a preposition or article, most commonly de, den, der, van, van der, van de, van den, ter, ten, te, op, in, bij, among others. These elements often reflect linguistic or historical origins, such as geographical origin (van Gogh, from Gogh) or descriptive associations (de Lange, the tall one). They are not a separate given name; rather, they form part of the full surname.

In everyday writing, the between-word is typically written in lowercase when a full name includes a given name: Piet van Dijk. When the surname stands alone or appears at the beginning of a line or in a heading, the tussenvoegsel is sometimes capitalized: Van Dijk. Capitalization practices vary by style guide and country, so contemporary usage can differ.

Alphabetical sorting rules vary as well. In many Dutch conventions, the tussenvoegsel is ignored for sorting, so van Gogh would be filed under G, not V. Some libraries or databases treat the tussenvoegsel as part of the surname and sort under V. International contexts may adopt different rules, influencing capitalization and sorting.

Not every Dutch surname contains a tussenvoegsel, and the presence or form of a tussenvoegsel can change over time or by family tradition. The term is primarily a linguistic and genealogical concept used to describe these in-between elements and their treatment in spelling, capitalization, and indexing.